Early Arriving Children

[NiNi.R.]

I have 3 girls and 1 boy that show up in between 6 and 6:30am. All 3 girls show up in their jammies and usually go back to sleep as soon as they get here. Between the 3 DCG and my own daughter I spend a good chunk of time helping dress them and doing their hair for the day. I thought it was reasonable for parents to expect me to do this for children that are pulled out of bed so early until I was on maternity leave recently and one of the moms told me that their back up Daycare required all the children to come dressed and hair done for the day. She went on and on how it was such a hassle for her to pull the girls out of bed even earlier in the morning than normal to get this done and was glad that I was back to work so she didn't have to do that anymore.

Just curious what the policies are that you have for your early arrivals?

[laundrymom]

Dressed and ready for the day

[Live and Learn]

All dressed and ready to play.

My earliest arrival is 8:00 though.

[wdmmom]

Every child that comes into my home must be dressed appropriately for any activity. Not dressed=No daycare.

If you can't participate with the rest of the group, you can't come.

That means if at 6am we are going for a walk around the block, you better have your walking shoes on. ::::

[lil angels]

I have it in my hand book that all children should arrive dressed and ready for play daily I don't have any here before 7am. But in your situation that you are able to have them go back to bed I think I would leave it be. I think it is pretty crappy how that mom worded things that she wants to pass the burden off on you. She should have said how she loves that the girls can go back to bed in the morning or something like that. If you have kids that early it is nice they sleep for you and then your kids can sleep to otherwise everyone will be up at 6 am. And if they come dressed they are not going to go back to bed for you!!
I think I would leave well enough alone it would be hard to change that with current family's that is a highlight to them I guess. You could say though anybody showing up after 6:45 or something should be dressed and ready to go or whatever time others start to wake.

[Cat Herder]

Dressed and ready for the day once over 12 months.

[Unregistered]

I have all little ones so they do come in sleepers, as they all comes between 5am-6am! So, yes they go back to bed. Since they are little, being in a sleeper all day is acceptable I treat them like my own, and will just get them dressed when we start our day when they are older. Not a biggie to me. However, if they came later (past 8am) then I would ask they be dressed already.

[Kaddidle Care]

I'm in a center so they have to be ready for the day - though sometimes they come with breakfast that we need to feed them.

I was like you with the one little girl I watched from home. I treated her like my own and thought nothing of it. I was Mom away from Mom.

I hope that mother realizes what a special caregiver you are. Well, I guess she realizes it now.

[grandmom]

I'm totally ok with jammies. My earliest is sometimes 5:30 and definitely goes back to sleep.

[nannyde]

Go back to bed when they arrive and come in whatever they are going to wear for the day. I don't dress kids or do hair.

[melskids]

i actually don't mind if they come in jammies.

half the time my son and i are in jammies all day

i dont really mind helping them to dress either. practicing self help skills are a big part of what we do here.

[nannyde]

i actually don't mind if they come in jammies.

half the time my son and i are in jammies all day

i dont really mind helping them to dress either. practicing self help skills are a big part of what we do here.

Parents that have early arrival schedule have the same 24 hours in a day that every other parent has. Dressing their kids before day care isn't ANY different for early arrivals or evening kids.

I've had parents who have their child sleep in sweat sets for day care and just change diapers in the morning before bringing them. Others have chosen footed jammies for them to wear here and just change them when they get home.

I don't do clothing changes because I don't pass anything back and forth BUT the kid. I don't want to get anything back to the parents. I don't do diaper bags. All the supplies come in in bulk and I store them.

My philosophy is to keep the "just takes a minute" tasks down to as little as humanly possible. I don't like doing "layers" of care. Anything that will take my time daily that is possible for the parents to do.... I stay out of.

[Meeko]

I open at 6am. The kids that come that early come in PJ's, go back to sleep until 7:30 AM and I dress them after breakfast. Those that come after 7:30 AM must come ready for the day.

[Sunshine44]

All of my parents bring the kids dressed around 7-7:30. I wouldn't mind if they came in their pj's and I wouldn't mind dressing them. We're really laid back here though.

[lpperry]

I open at 8:00, so they all come dressed for the day. Once in awhile I take one little guy earlier--7 or 7:30 and he comes in his jammies on those days. I don't mind at all. I'd rather his dad just wake him at the last possible moment so he gets as much sleep as possible. The more sleep the kids get, the less likelihood of a crabby day!

I have another one who comes at 9 or 10, and sometimes he comes in his pajamas because he didn't want to get dressed. His mom packs clothes for him. Sometimes I change him, sometimes I don't. It doesn't bother me at all if he wants to spend the day in his pjs!